Women drivers around the world are being invited to step into a global conversation about safety, confidence, and stress behind the wheel, as Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) launches a new international survey designed to capture their real driving experiences.
The research, titled Female Drivers' Perceptions of Safety on the Roads, is led by Sabina Kvášová, WWCOTY juror for the Czech Republic and editor-in-chief of the motoring magazine Zena v aute.cz. It aims to understand how women perceive driving in different countries, what situations create stress, and how their behaviour and confidence shift depending on environment and culture.
At the heart of the initiative is a simple but powerful question: do women feel safe when they drive, and if not, what is standing in the way of that confidence?
WWCOTY Executive President Marta Garcia says the project is about more than collecting data. It is about amplifying lived experiences that are often overlooked in broader automotive discussions.
“Understanding how women feel when they drive is key to improving road safety and mobility for everyone. This survey gives women a voice, allowing us to identify the challenges they face, the situations that create stress, and the changes needed to make driving a safer and more confident experience worldwide,” she explains.
The survey also explores how emotional and psychological factors influence driving behaviour. While modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with advanced safety systems, human factors such as distraction, anxiety, and environmental pressure still play a major role in road safety outcomes.
Kvášová highlights that the questionnaire is designed to uncover what pulls attention away from the road and how these experiences vary across borders.
“Through a questionnaire we want to analyze how women drivers feel, what distracts them from focusing 100% on driving. Thanks to the connection to the Women's Worldwide Car of the Year, we also want to compare the results of surveys in foreign countries,” she says.
Participants from around the world can take part until the end of May 2026. The findings will then be published globally on 24 June, aligning with International Women Drivers’ Day (#IWDD), a date dedicated to recognising and amplifying women’s voices in mobility.
WWCOTY itself is the only car awards body made up entirely of women motoring journalists. Founded in 2009 by New Zealand journalist Sandy Myhre, it has grown into a globally respected organisation under the leadership of Executive President Marta Garcia, with Myhre serving as Honorary President.
While widely known for its annual awards, WWCOTY’s mission extends beyond selecting the best vehicles. Its jurors evaluate cars using the same criteria any driver might consider, including safety, quality, comfort, design, environmental impact, ease of use and value.
This new survey marks a deeper step into understanding not just what women drive, but how they experience the act of driving itself. By focusing on real-world perceptions, WWCOTY aims to help shape a more inclusive, informed and safety-conscious future for global mobility.
